November 25, 2016

It is interesting to observe how electronic devices malfunction when they are not placed in their correct position.

I recall my kids using the Nintendo Wii at one time, they placed the unit upside down. This caused disk read errors with DVD games.

Recently, we encountered a situation with a client of ours where their Dell Alienware X51 computer was suddenly shutting down. Remotely examining logs and diagnostics indicate there is an overheat issue. CPU Temp was around 60 C.

When we went onsite to repair the unit, we found the unit was placed upside down (In other words, the Processor/CPU Heatsink and Fan which helps dissipate heat is now placed upside down). Doing a cleanup and re-positioning the computer to the right side fixed the problem!

How to tell if your computer/PC is positioning properly and well ventilated ? Three ways:

Make sure there is no obstruction on the back or the front end of the unit since the fans will absorb air from the front-end and dispose of it from the rear of the PC

Do not block computer vents, they are important to keep a system running optimally

Look at the back of the computer, the side with many ports and connectors should be placed Down on the surface, or the computer should be standing up. As in the picture below:

The left side in this picture of the rear of the computer should be placed down on the desk.

This will ensure the CPU Heatsink/Fan are pointing up

Picture courtesy of BleepingComputer.com

So check your electronic and electrical devices. Make sure they are pointed in the right direction. Electronic devices often generate heat and use fans or heat-sinks to reduce the effect of heat on electronic components.